UPDATE: Ergon is reporting there are currently 61,000 customers without power across the Whitsunday and Mackay regions.

The communities most affected are Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, Proserpine, Bowen, Mackay, West Mackay, Sarina, Moranbah and Clermont and the Northern Beaches of Mackay.

There have been some power restorations including the Home Hill township, parts of Moranbah including the airport and the Burdekin Water Treatment Plant.

Energy Minister Mark Bailey thanked the community for their resilience and patience in the aftermath of the cyclone.

"The cyclone wreaked havoc on our road network with flooding, debris and fallen powerlines cutting access to communities,” he said.

"Some areas south of Mackay and south of Bowen remain cut off due to flooding, however Powerlink and Energy Queensland have begun helicopter patrols of lines and major assets.

"Powerlink has commenced an aerial inspection of the 90km Proserpine - Collinsville transmission line while another crew is inspecting the substation and undertaking re-energisation checks.”

Customers without supply:

MACKAY 27,294

SARINA 5,774

PINNACLE 4,923

MORANBAH 3,414

CLERMONT 33

BARCALDINE 0

PROSERPINE 12,026

BOWEN 5,710

HOME HILL 3,203

COLLINSVILLE 1,163

CHARTERS TWS 29

Total 63,569

EARLIER: WITH the wrath of Cyclone Debbie spent, the Whitsundays now turns its attention to recovery and when power and water will be restored.

Reports from Ergon Energy say they are ready to begin their recovery effort with a strong local contingent of field crews on stand-by in North Queensland, however they cannot move into the area until highways are re-opened.

"They will move south as soon as access improves as currently flooding and highway closures are preventing crews getting to Bowen, Proserpine and further south,” a media release said.

About 550 Ergon Energy and Energex staff and contractors from southern Queensland were pre-deployed to be part of the initial response team of more than 900 energy workers ready to respond after Cyclone Debbie. This included more than 200 Energex staff from South-East Queensland.

Meanwhile the Whitsunday Disaster Coordination Centre is asking all residents to stay off the roads and conserve water as much as possible, in the wake of water and power outages and fallen powerlines across the Whitsunday region.

All Whitsunday residents are urged to conserve water in their homes to ease the pressure on water and sewerage networks, currently without power.

Operators are currently working with Ergon Energy to re-establish temporary generators as soon as possible until power can be fully restored.

Flash flooding and inundation is also affecting the region.

Chair of the Whitsunday Disaster Management Committee and Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council, Andrew Willcox, stressed the importance of staying safe and saving water.

"Until Ergon and SES operators are able to get to communities and properly assess the damage, I am also asking you to please steer clear of fallen powerlines and debris, and do not go sightseeing or enter flood waters,” he said.

Emergency Services will be on the ground shortly, with priorities including life safety, rescues, impact assessment, assessing critical infrastructure and arranging places of refuge for those residents who need it.

Following a call for assistance from the Queensland Government, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has also now commenced Operation Queensland Assist 17 to help the people and communities affected by Cyclone Debbie.

The ADF has committed around 1,200 personnel and significant resources to the operation under Joint Task Force 661.

The Defence response will see sailors, soldiers and airmen undertaking a wide variety of tasks in support of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and other disaster coordination authorities.

As well as engineering and logistics support, they have also drawn on specialist ADF capabilities from around the country including Royal Australian Air Force aircraft and HMAS Choules, a vessel suited to domestic disaster relief operations.

There tasks will include: evacuation; aeromedical transport; search and rescue; assisting to restore critical infrastructure; road and route clearance; emergency food, water, fuel and shelter delivery and distribution; as well reconnaissance, surveillance and damage assessments.

While Tropical Cyclone Debbie has moved on from the Whitsunday region heading south-west, heavy rain and strong winds are still forecast for the region over the next few days.

Important contacts:

- SES assistance 132 500. The SES's priority after the event will be providing access to residents (eg. Clearing trees from driveways etc.)

- The Whitsunday Disaster Coordination Centre 1300 972 006.

- Red Cross has now opened Register.Find.Reunite. and is urging people that may be affected by Cyclone Debbie to get in touch with their families and friends. Please visit www.redcross.org.au to register, or look for someone.